Friday, July 7, 2017

Chechnya Resumes Rounding Up/Torture Of Gay Men

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov

Buzzfeed News is reporting that the rounding up and torture of gay men in Chechnya has resumed according to LGBT activist group, Russia LGBT Network.

The independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta first reported that around 100 people had been kidnapped in the crackdown in April, but Russian activists reported that sources in the region said the detentions had stopped following an international outcry.

Igor Kochetkov of the Russia LGBT Network, which is working to evacuate people targeted in the purge from the region, now tells BuzzFeed News the organization has gotten around 10 calls reporting new detentions since Ramadan ended on June 24.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has not only denied that the torture has taken place, he says that gays don't even exist in his country.

No word as to whether or not President Trump brought up the issue to Russian President Putin during their meeting today at the G20 summit.

The White House has not addressed the issue since the first reports began in April.